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Greene granted $893,000 to improve radio signals

Dec 21, 2011 12:08 am
The New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services granted Greene County $893,000 to improve first-responder communications. Sixteen counties received $20 million in the program, with neighboring counties Delaware, Ulster, and Schoharie also awarded funds. The grant precedes Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, but those local storms did show that local communications are lacking. Counties receiving awards can use the funding for mobile radios, and base stations capable of using national interoperability channels and other local mutual-aid channels. Also included are projects to construct new equipment at towers and antenna sites, projects to deploy microwave equipment to provide more reliable transmission between sites and facilities which is needed in mountainous Greene County, and projects to implement gateway technologies for linking county systems. Equipment purchased using these grants will allow different agencies to use common channels during incidents where multiple jurisdictions are involved. This is the first round of awards from the Statewide Interoperable Grant program, a new multi-year, competitive reimbursement program funded from the State cellular surcharge.

The following counties are receiving awards:

Sullivan:$1,198,000
Madison: $1,997,812
Cortland: $4,000,000
Otsego: $1,128,000
Schoharie: $858,000
Onondaga: $331,446
Niagara: $2,000,000
Steuben: $1,523,264
Delaware: $1,078,000
Ulster: $978,000
Washington: $171,500
Genesee: $228,309
Greene: $893,000
Essex: $2,000,000
Warren: $736,938
Nassau: $877,729

“A reliable communication network is an essential tool for emergency responders,” said Senator James Seward, who represents Greene and Schoharie counties in Albany. “These grants will help provide that tool, protecting the lives of those who live and work in upstate New York, while also ensuring the safety of our firefighters, ambulance workers and police. The funding will also offset a major expense that taxpayers simply cannot afford to shoulder on their own.” More info here.
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